By Pablo Angulo-Gonzalez
Allow me to introduce you to Andee Sills, the remarkable Water Taxi Ambassador who dons a pair of sailing gloves while carrying out her duties as a Bricktown Water Taxi Crew member.
If that fact alone isn’t enough to make you like her, let me further pique your interest by sharing more of her story.
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS
Andee grew up in Oklahoma City and joined the Navy after high school. She was stationed in Alaska for two years studying photography before being transferred to a submarine base in San Diego.
During her time in Alaska, Andee was the youngest person to be nominated for Sailor of the Quarter. Throughout her San Diego stay, Andee worked on a submarine tender and was continuously invited as a photographer to join the VIPs who took tours of the submersibles.
“The very first time I got to go out was with the astronaut crew from Apollo 11, which was super cool because I got to be at the bottom of the ocean with people who had been on the moon,” she told me.
Initially, I asked her for proof, but eventually, I started to feel envious and diverted the conversation.
Andee served in naval roles on the West Coast before completing a tour on the John F. Kennedy Aircraft Carrier in Florida as part of her reserve duties.
“I’m all about my time in the Navy back then,” she proudly shared with a smile.
BACK TO OKLAHOMA ROOTS
Andee has since returned to her home in Oklahoma, where she obtained a Mass Communication and Journalism degree.
After a college internship, she pursued event planning for a few years, eventually leading to a job offer from the Waterford Hotel.
While working at the hotel, the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds caught her attention.
Andee began working for the Oklahoma Fairgrounds – the famous horse show capital of the world – as an event coordinator, which led up to her current position as the event booking manager.
For the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds events schedule, click the link below.
https://okcfairgrounds.com/schedule
Andee’s exciting story does not end here!
During our conversations about her life, there is one thing of which I am sure: Andee has an unyielding determination.
JOINING THE WATER TAXI CREW
During the summer of 2021, she came across a hiring ad for the Bricktown Water Taxi and immediately thought, “I have to do this.”
Recently, Andee received the offer to become a funeral director and opted to work part-time to fund her schooling instead of taking out loans.
Now, she is pursuing a bachelor’s degree as a funeral director and embalmer, working full-time at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds and part-time as a Bricktown Water Taxi Ambassador.
Andee is a life force and loves the learning aspect of her duties as part of the Bricktown Water Taxi Crew.
As an Oklahoma City local, she told me she really enjoys it when people from the city and state take her tours and learn something new about the history of the Oklahoma territory.
“Learning more about our culture, our history, our Native American culture, and history really keeps me motivated,” she expressed.
A LOVE FOR BRICKTOWN
She also loves the Historic Bricktown District as a place to relax, hang out, play mini-golf, or catch an Oklahoma City Dodgers baseball game.
“I just love it, you know, having a hot dog, watching baseball.”
Toward the end of our conversation, Andee asked me to include a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) 2017 Gallery America episode on the Land Run Monument artist Paul Moore. She often enjoys walking around Centennial Park, where the monument is located, trying to spot new details in the meticulous art installation.
“Paul Moore’s Land Run Monument in Oklahoma City’s Bricktown District is made up of 46 individual pieces, each measuring one and a half times larger than life size. As he nears completion of the decades-long project, the Norman-based artist gave Gallery America a rare glimpse into his studio and his life, where we discovered a passionate man who looms larger than his work.”
https://www.pbs.org/video/gallery-america-gallery-america-monument-man-paul-moore/
Our Bricktown Water Taxi Crew is an extraordinary group of individuals! As a team, each staff member possesses unique talents that contribute to making the OKC/Bricktown experience fun and engaging. We are ambassadors of Oklahoma City, and it is our passion to help tell that story to our riders.
Please visit the link below to learn more about the Ambassadors on the Bricktown Water Taxi Crew.
